Chapter 2

Before I could say a word, Hailey turned and walked back to Jack.

She lifted her hands like a doting wife, tucking the blanket over his legs first, and only then asked his opinion in that soft voice of hers.

Jack heard her out and answered without a moment's hesitation, smiling. "Hailey, I do like a lively crowd."

"As long as James doesn't mind."

"Of course I don't mind either."

Hailey didn't even bother asking me. She just decided it herself.

"Fine. It's settled."

She pushed Jack's wheelchair over to me.

"You're in the room next door?"

I nodded.

A moment later, Hailey wheeled Jack into the room where my birthday was being held.

My friends all knew she was my fiancée, so they greeted her, one after another, calling her James's fiancée.

Hailey kept her face cold and only nodded in acknowledgment.

The next second, she pushed Jack right up to the seat of honor and parked him there.

Everyone looked at me, stunned.

It was my birthday. I was the one this was for.

And yet my own fiancée had put another man in the place of honor.

One of my friends couldn't hold back. "Hailey, that's James's seat."

"My friend prefers to sit by the window."

She said it with her eyes locked on me. It wasn't a suggestion.

It was a warning.

Don't start anything.

I smiled. "Doesn't matter who sits where."

"Thank you," Jack said to me.

Soon the dishes started arriving. Someone suggested we sing me a birthday song.

Then all eyes shifted to Hailey, waiting for her to start it off.

But Hailey was busy ladling seafood chowder into a bowl for Jack.

"You all go ahead and sing," she said. "I have to look after Jack."

My friends exchanged glances.

I felt a little awkward. "It's fine, everyone's hungry. Let's just eat."

One friend couldn't stomach it. "Hailey, James is your fiancé."

"If you're going to take care of anyone, shouldn't it be him?"

Hailey's brow furrowed. "He's perfectly healthy. Why would I take care of him?"

That turned my friends' faces dark.

The way they looked at Jack now carried open, heavy resentment.

Someone wanted to make up for me and pointedly raised a glass to toast Jack.

Except Hailey blocked it.

"Jack's health won't allow him to drink."

"What's a grown man having one drink?"

"He can't drink."

"Come on, one's fine."

In the shoving, the whiskey sloshed out of the glass, and a few drops splashed onto Hailey's dress.

Her face went cold. "Whoever's toasting Jack, don't make me lose my temper."

"James Henson, keep your friends in line."

"Jack, I'm going to the restroom."

Hailey walked off with a face like a storm.

The room fell into dead silence.

Then Jack snorted out a laugh.

The corner of his mouth curled up, a hint of smugness in his expression.

"James Henson, in Hailey's heart—"

"I'm the one who matters most."

"Sorry about that."

"Making a fiancé like you lose face in front of his friends."

I frowned and said nothing.

But the friend sitting next to Jack cursed. "You son of a bitch!"

The words had barely left his mouth.

His fist slammed into Jack's face.